Liquid CO2 Test Ship Launched in Japan

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, has launched a test ship for transporting liquefied carbon dioxide (LCO2).

The launch ceremony took place at the Shimonoseki Shipyard in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, with representatives from ship owner Sanyu Kisen Co. and other partners in attendance.

The project is being conducted in partnership with the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), an organization of the Japanese government that works to promote the research, development, and demonstration of new energy and industrial technologies, in support of its carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) projects.

The Engineering Advancement Association of Japan (ENAA) will charter the ship, while additional project partners, including Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (“K” LINE), Nippon Gas Line Co., and Ochanomizu University, will conduct R&D on pressure control, stability, and low-cost transportation of LCO2. Mitsubishi Shipbuilding is responsible for the ship’s design and construction, drawing on its expertise in gas handling technologies.

The ship is scheduled for delivery in the second half 2023 following outfitting and sea trials.

With demand for LCO2 carriers expected to grow, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding aims to develop the necessary technologies for LCO2 vessels to establish a CCUS value chain. The company will also focus on decarbonization and marine innovation as part of its “MARINE FUTURE STREAM” growth strategy.

LCO2 Carrier Concept